Police dogs score wins in search contest

Just a year ago, the Southeast Missourian Jr.'s Pay for the Pup fund-raising campaign netted more than $18,000 for two police dogs for the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Now those dogs are garnering statewide honors for their talents.

During a recent Missouri Canine Association drug search competition held in Moberly, Mo., Cape Girardeau canine Bolo, a German shepherd imported from the Czech Republic, and his handler, Roy Rahn Jr., took first place. Toben, who also works in Cape Girardeau, and his handler, Paul Kesterson, took fourth place. (It is worth noting that Baron, a Jackson dog not involved in the Pay for the Pup campaign, took third in the same contest.) They could not have won without the expertise of master handler Mike Ervin of the Riverview K-9 training facility. Ervin trained the dogs for months before they joined their police handlers, and they go back to him for eight hour refresher courses every week. It looks like the training has paid off.

Those who donated to the fund-raising campaign will get their money back as Bolo and Toben keep drugs off the streets, helping stop drug-related crime.